Abstract :
Summary form only given. Intellectual property can be protected in different ways, such as, for example, by patents, utility models, trademarks, designs, or copyrights. A patent grants exclusive rights to a patentee to prevent or exclude others from making, using, or selling the claimed invention. The rights are granted for a limited number of countries and for a limited time. The patent system is an integral part of the global economic activity, whereby the increase in patent filings closely mirrors the world economic growth. Last October the American Stock Exchange introduced an index reflecting the value of patents. The index takes into account the value of a company\´s intellectual property and is calculated every 15 seconds. Patents are seen as part of the so-called "intangible" company assets on which the modern knowledge-based economy is increasingly depending. Consequently, patents as assets should be somehow made controllable and manageable. That implies that they should be made visible as resources and that their application should be measured and reported on. This presentation will give an overview of patent evaluation methods and tools. They can help a company decide about the patenting strategy by determining whether an innovation really has a commercial potential.
